


Dork Heaven

by lalejandra



Category: The OC (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, High School, Multi, Threesome - F/F/M, Transformative Works Welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-11-27
Updated: 2003-11-27
Packaged: 2019-07-15 07:33:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16058480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalejandra/pseuds/lalejandra
Summary: "It's not fate -- it's just circumstance; I don't fool myself with romance." (--Ani DiFranco)





	Dork Heaven

The way Anna Stern figured it, the sun rotted brains. After just a few weeks in _the O.C._ (insert eye roll here, please), even she was affected. It was the heat; it had to be. It was insidious. It started slow -- a pair of earrings here, a shorter skirt there -- but before Anna knew it, she was friends with that ditzy bitch Summer Roberts, and sharing dental floss and tooth brushes, shoes and bras, and even Seth Cohen with her.

Sharing a boy! Things like that did _not_ happen in Pittsburgh, PA. And with good reason, since there were some people who still lynched black cops and raped lesbians to "convert" them and believed Jews had horns. Anna knew it, and knew on a practical level that these changes were just her horizons expanding. Dangling earrings weren't something one could wear in Pittsburgh, because you had to wear a hat to cover your ears, so they weren't practical most of the year. High heeled shoes, ditto. Short little skirts -- once again, not practical. Especially considering that Indiana, PA, the date rape capital of America, was only a short drive away from Anna's old house in the suburbs. (Well, the problem was more that Anna's mom insisted that every frat boy was just waiting to date rape Anna, never mind that she wasn't even _dating_ any of them. So it _was_ more practical to just wear pants.)

Pittsburgh didn't really have a social elite, and the most risque anyone got was naming their kids things like Merlot or Wagner. Well, Anna's childhood best friend Audrey had dropped out of high school to become a professional dominatrix, but that sort of thing only happened rarely, and only downtown.

Anna missed Pittsburgh -- she did. She missed having seasons, missed wearing sweaters outdoors, missed the rain and the wind and the open fields. Sometimes she even missed the smell -- no matter what the department of tourism or whatever tried to tell the rest of the country, Pittsburgh still smelled like the mines and the factories. But she didn't. She wasn't. She. How to say it? She wasn't missing the pettiness and small minds, because those were here -- but it was easier to deal with here, because you won if you had the money to win. In Pittsburgh you could win with money, but there was always the chance that there'd be a cross burned on your front lawn. There were no crosses burning in _the O.C._ \-- and that was another thing!

Anna wanted to hit someone every time they referred to Orange County as "the O.C.", but even she had started doing it, just like she was picking up Summer's habit of getting a manicure and pedicure every Sunday morning, and Seth's habit of walking into the pool house without knocking, and Marissa's habit of staring off into space and losing track of conversations, and Ryan's habit of sitting back and watching people, eyes wide.

Well, she'd always done that. She understood Ryan from the very moment she met him: reclusive loner, but not deliberately, to be cool or posturing or all Dylan-from- _90210_ -slash-Angel-from- _Buffy_ , but because that's the way his life was. Always safer if you stay out of everyone's way, less inclined to be hit if they don't know you're there. It took longer, but she caught Summer, too -- if you act stupid, people underestimate you, it's easier to do what you want to do. Typical girl trick, the history of it stretching back over centuries. The only problem was -- and Anna knew this from the girls in Pittsburgh -- that if you acted stupid long enough, you tended to end up believing that you're really stupid, and you can't remember how to be smart again.

Anna liked to think that maybe pieces of her were rubbing off on Summer as well, and that maybe Summer was becoming less and less inclined to be a ditz-bitch; if Summer ever came into her full, hardcore, smart-bitch potential, the world would be turned on its ear.

"Why," Anna asked Summer, in a practical attempt to make this happen faster, "do you want to marry a stockbroker? Just do it yourself. You don't need to marry someone rich -- you're already rich, and you can make yourself richer."

Summer just shook her head and sighed, like Anna was a child asking a question with the simplest of answers. But there wasn't a simple answer, and more and more Anna wanted to demand that Summer face reality: stupid boys weren't always the way to go.

She could have all of Anna's money, everything in Anna's trust fund, if she'd just stop -- stop -- stop doing everything she was doing to drive Anna absolutely crazy. Stop acting like money was the end-all and be-all of the world. Stop acting like boys were actually important. Stop acting like she cared about what people thought, when it was clear just from talking to her for three seconds that she didn't. Someone who _really_ cared what other people thought would actually care if they thought she was a moron -- but Summer didn't. Someone who really cared what other people thought would not have kissed Seth Cohen to test whether she liked him or not, because she wouldn't have ever entertained the possibility that she might like him. Ever.

But she did, and then she figured out a way to have him -- Anna got him during the day, and Summer got to sneak into his room at night. (Anna figured that while that wasn't fair, there were plenty of times when she got to sneak into his room during the day.) But if Summer cared about what people who were "powerful" really thought, Summer would never sit with them at lunch (but she did) and she would never let someone see her going into Seth's house (but she did) and she would never sometimes forget herself and kiss Seth in the quad (but she did). And somehow Summer always managed to bring the truth of the situation to light by being blunt and mean, which Anna had to respect, even if Summer did pass it off as something she did because she wasn't smart enough to dissemble, rather than because she had no patience with pretense (which was funny to Anna, because Summer was the only person she'd ever known so obsessed with appearances).

  
_And_ , _anyway_ , Summer judged power by money and social cachet, and Seth had plenty of both, thanks to his grandfather.

So what the hell was up with her? Why pretend to care so much about boys? Okay, the real question: Why _not_ care about _Anna_? That was it, the kicker. Anna liked Seth -- she did. But somehow it ended up that he just couldn't compare to Summer. He was funny and sweet, but Summer had bite. Seth was... Seth was a pickle. A gherkin. Cold, from a jar in Anna's grandma's fridge. But Summer. Summer was full on garlic sour from Zabar's. Right. Seth was crisp and good and left an excellent aftertaste, but it was Summer you thought about all day, and Summer you _craved_. It was Summer _Anna_ craved.

Therefore the only practical solution was to play Summer against herself. Two options:

1\. Summer didn't really see Anna that way, but could be brought around to Anna's way of thinking. To do that, Anna would have to present it as a challenge, something Summer had to do or she'd lose face with Seth. Or.

2\. All those touches on Anna's thighs and speculative glances and mean comments about Anna not satisfying Seth were not, in fact, Summer being mean and breaking their Seth-truce, but Summer throwing down the gauntlet -- and she wanted Anna to cross the line, so that she wouldn't have to admit to making the decision. That was all right; Anna understood the need -- _Summer's_ need -- for self-delusion. Maybe Summer was worried about rejection, or social norms, or just didn't realize what was going on. So Anna would need to suggest the idea to Seth, preferably in a sexy setting, and then let Seth go in to Ryan's pool house, panicking, and let Ryan talk Seth into it. Or out of it. But Anna was pretty sure she could count on Ryan to encourage Seth to coordinate.

Oh, except if she let Seth coordinate, he'd probably coordinate them all right into not speaking to each other. So:

3\. Seth's Christmas -- Hanukah? -- gift would be Summer and Anna at the same time. No penetration sex, but whatever else he wanted, which would let both Anna and Seth out of having an awkward first time. (Was Summer still a virgin? Probably not, but all the better to get Anna's fist into her.) Would Summer be up for it? Probably, if Anna could spin it right. And Seth would be, especially if they borrowed Ryan's pool house and Seth walked in on them. Right out of a porn movie, every guy's fantasy. Okay. But would Seth be able to handle it? Maybe.

Anna debated the merits of consulting with Ryan first, because she'd bet her favorite earrings that Ryan knew what this sort of thing was about. But he would either look at her with those eyebrows raised and those eyes open and do that nod-head-slow thing, or he'd caution her against it. He would not, despite what the part of Anna's brain devoted to leg-melting fantasies insisted, offer to throw over Marissa so he could join in. Or offer himself to Seth for Anna's birthday viewing enjoyment. Or offer himself to Anna for a show for Seth. She did, though, linger on that thought while in the shower several different times. The things she could do with Ryan's shoulders...

So to Summer it was, that Sunday at Pretty In Pink Salon, while they were drying their fingers and toes. Summer was in a cheerful mood, because she'd just had a wax -- "It's the serotonin," she told Anna; "Serotonin is chocolate; it's the endorphins," replied Anna; "Well, maybe I ate some chocolate while she was waxing me," said Summer, and that was that.

While Summer was in the waxing room, Anna had thought about what to say. Okay, so Anna had thought about what to say and almost nothing else (except Ryan's shoulders, and Seth's hands, and sometimes Seth's hands on Ryan's shoulders) for the past few days, since she'd had the idea. It was the perfect way to get Summer into bed, but not feel like she was cheating on Seth -- and it was the perfect way to get Summer into bed, but not have to have either of them admit that they liked girls too. Because you could never tell how Summer was going to react to something like that -- _Anna_ could never tell anyway. There were some things Summer was predictable about, but she'd proved by making out with Seth (all the time, as much as she could) that sex wasn't one of them.

Finally Anna decided that blunt was best, especially with Summer. "So."

"Yes?"

"Have you thought about what you're giving Seth for the holidays?"

"Do I have to give him something?"

"It would be nice."

"I don't care about that. Are you giving him something?"

"Maybe."

"Well, let me know when you decide, and if it doesn't suck, put my name on the card. Just don't get him some of that stupid music. Or comics."

"I was thinking maybe -- "

"Oh, shit. I hit my nail against the dryer. Joy!"

Anna rolled her eyes as Summer's preferred manicurist hurried over with nail polish remover and Summer's bright fuchsia polish. Joy bent over Summer's nail and painstakingly fixed the tiny little dent in the polish that Anna was sure no one but Summer would have ever noticed. But Summer knew every detail of her own appearance inside and out, and when her lip gloss smudged the tiniest bit, or her the color of her eye shadow didn't perfectly match the pattern on her shirt, she couldn't rest until it was fixed.

It was a measure of just how far gone on her Anna was that it was endearing rather than irritating -- and _that_ irritated Anna to no end.

"So." Summer turned back to Anna. "Coop guilted -- well, I guilted -- her mom into agreeing to a Christmas party, but it's not until the 27th, and --"

"We were talking about _Seth_."

"Whatever." Summer shrugged and examined the fixed nail. "Can you see a seam here?"

"No. I was thinking that we should --"

"No comics," interrupted Summer firmly.

"No, no comics," agreed Anna. "Us."

"Us?"

"Yes. Us. Together. For his Christmas gift."

"Us. Together. Like, together together, or just. Together?" Summer raised her eyebrows.

"Like, together." Anna raised her eyebrows back at Summer.

"Sure." Summer shrugged. "He'll die and go to dork heaven."

"Where he will receive comic books." Anna smiled and sat up a little straighter. That was easy. Next: talk to Ryan.

Anna was dreading that part. Ryan had that way of sitting there, staring, until you squirmed. Just because Anna knew where it came from didn't make it easier to resist. She never really interacted with Ryan, except to agree with him when he made a good point, because Ryan never started conversations, and Anna never knew what to say. She liked him, figured that should be enough. Sometimes she thought he didn't even realize she existed, because nothing existed for Ryan except Seth and only _sometimes_ Marissa -- like when Seth wasn't there -- and that was more than a little weird. But when she started to feel like that, Anna reminded herself that not everyone was repressing their homosexual urges or sublimating their attraction for their close friends.

The world might be more interesting if they were, though. On the other hand, a world where Ryan and Seth were dating, while it would be a world filled with the hot-and-sexy, would be weird. And, on a more practical level, it would be a world where Anna didn't get to make out with Seth on a daily basis, and not even watching Seth and Ryan make out could balance out that.

Ryan was more like Summer than, Anna would bet, either of them would want to admit. They just dealt with their issues in different ways. So the practical thing to do would be to approach Ryan in the same way she approached Summer: blunt.

It would have been easier if she hadn't walked in on him and Marissa -- him, interestingly enough, on the bottom. That wasn't something she'd have predicted. At least they weren't actually having sex, for which Anna was grateful -- mostly because she thought Marissa was really kind of ugly, and had no desire to see her naked. At all. Ick.

It, of course, wasn't fair of Anna to be grossed out by the fact that Marissa's bones poked through her skin, because Anna's did too. But Anna worked out every day and did situps and pushups and drank protein shakes and did everything she was supposed to, and just couldn't gain weight, but Marissa just never ate anything. Ever. So Anna felt justified, fair or not.

"I need to talk to Ryan," Anna announced. "Alone."

Marissa smiled at Anna and left without saying anything, buttoning her shirt on her way out the door, and Anna suddenly felt like the biggest jerk. Maybe Marissa had some sort of disease that didn't let her gain weight. Like ringworm.

Ryan just sat there, looking frustrated, hair messed up. Anna's heart shifted a little. She never thought she would understand people who were polyamorous, but it was easy, now. The more she understood the way the people in her life worked, the more she loved them. The more she loved them, the more attractive they became. The more attractive they were, the more she wanted to bring them into her life sexually. It all made sense, really. It just kind of shocked her that she understood Ryan the best of all of the people in her life. She would have guessed Seth, but, no, Ryan.

It wasn't Ryan she felt sweet on, like with Seth, and it wasn't Ryan she craved, like with Summer, but it was definitely Ryan she fantasized about, and it was definitely Ryan who started that slow burn in her stomach. Everyone needed someone like that, Anna decided; it was the unobtainable crush, the fantasy that would never become reality, to bolster reality up when it faltered.

He kind of looked like a cheesecake picture, with his legs all splayed and his shirts off and his feet bare and his hands behind his back and his mouth pouting. It was the mouth that did it. If she didn't know better, she would have climbed up on to the bed and eaten him alive. But she knew better, and it just wouldn't have been a good idea.

"So, Ryan, can I borrow your pool house?" Anna tucked her hands safely into the back pockets of her jeans. No touching.

"Borrow?"

"Just for a little while. On Christmas day."

"Uh."

Anna watched Ryan carefully. It was all in the widening of his eyes and the nodding of his head and the way his hair fell around his face. He was furrowing his eyebrows a little, and his mouth tightened. Not a good sign, or maybe he was just thinking hard.

"What for?" he finally asked.

Oh, just a little softcore porn, she replied silently. But out loud, carefully, hoping Ryan wouldn't need her to spell it out, she answered, "Seth's Christmas gift. Summer and I need a little privacy."

"Oh." He wrinkled his forehead a little more, then his eyes went wide. Bingo. Smart boy. " _Oh_."

"Yeah."

"And Summer...?"

"Is into it." Anna nodded, shoved her hands deeper into the pockets. Do not touch the pretty, her brain chanted. Do not touch the pretty.

Ryan sat up, and Anna mourned the loss of his abs. "Wow, I never would have thought."

"Me either, but I guess she'll agree to anything after a wax." Anna smiled at Ryan again. "We'll want to get ready and then have you send him in."

"I guess I can do that. I'm not sure how they do Christmas... Hanukah?" His eyes were bright under the fringe of hair hanging down.

Do not touch the pretty. Do not touch the pretty. "They do gifts Christmas Eve, before their Christmas party, and then breakfast in the morning, and then just hang out, I guess. Seth was vague on that part. But he did ask me to come over for a while -- daytime, you know."

"Right." Ryan nodded slowly.

"Okay, then. Thanks," said Anna cheerfully, and mentally ticked that off her list. "I'll send Marissa back in." She turned to leave.

"Anna?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you think..."

Anna let out a sigh, but didn't turn around. "I think it will be fine, Ryan." She walked out. Marissa was leaning against the wall.

"You know, I don't hold it against you that you've taken my best friend," said Marissa after Anna had gone a few steps. Anna stopped, closed her eyes, took a deep breath before she turned around.

Marissa's face had two expressions: smoothed into bland and pleasant lines, and sad. Her face was bland, so Anna figured she didn't have to worry about Marissa having a weird breakdown or suddenly whipping out a bottle of vodka and some Vicodin.

"I didn't take your best friend. She's still your best friend."

"I know. But she spends more time with you and Seth than I spend with her or Ryan." Marissa paused, crossed her arms over her chest. "I just want you to know that I don't hold it against you. This is the first time someone other than me has liked Summer for being who she is, not for her money or her body."

"Okay..." Anna didn't see where this was going, but knew it couldn't be good.

Marissa's jaw tightened and her voice was pitched low. "I will hold it against you if you take my boyfriend."

"I have no plans to take your boyfriend. Ryan's not interested in me that way." If Anna crossed her own arms over her chest, she'd only be imitating Marissa, so instead she planted a hand on a hip and cocked it out.

"Don't lie to me. I've seen how you look at each other. And I just wanted you to know that if you hurt Seth or Summer by going after Ryan, you'll have to answer to me."

Oooh, scary. Anna resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Summer had told Anna that Marissa had problems being taken seriously by adults -- they all assumed that since she looked fragile, she didn't know her own mind. Anna had figured that out for herself, and had resisted the urge to point out that running to Tijuana and dosing herself with tequila and pain meds wasn't exactly the way to prove her maturity.

Anna did like her... it was just that she was kind of in Anna's way. And kind of gross looking. And didn't really have a personality.

But no. Anna had no intention of going after Ryan. At least until after she had dealt with Summer and Seth, and maybe not even then. It just wasn't worth it to trade Anna's fantasy life and their easy camaraderie -- as easy as anything could be with Ryan anyway -- for whatever else it could be. If it could be anything at all. Which it couldn't. But explaining that to Marissa wouldn't go over well. No. And it wasn't practical to take that much time to explain something so simple, because then Marissa would see that Anna had thought about it, and that was the part she'd focus on, rather than the conclusion.

"Marissa, you have nothing to worry about." Okay, leave now, after having the last word. Anna spun on her heel and got the hell away from the pool house.

Marissa had the last word anyway, even though Anna could barely hear what she said. "I hope not."

Anna did not want to be the cause of more pain in Marissa's eyes. But at the same time... well. She too had a really hard time taking Marissa seriously. It wasn't the fragility. It was the fact that Marissa made bad decisions (well, except for Ryan), wasn't too close with her common sense, and had never known real pain. Nobody in _the O.C._ (eye roll!) ever really had. How could they? They lived a life of privilege, among others who had the same. The biggest tragedy in Marissa's life wasn't even her own, but her father's, and it wasn't even a tragedy the way normal people counted tragedy. Oh, darn, we have to live on less than a mil a year? How can this be! How will we survive!

Not that Anna was really any better. But she related to Ryan quite a lot more than to anyone else. Even Summer. Because where she came from, most of the people were like Ryan, and only a few of the people were like Summer and Marissa and Seth. And even then, when they were like Summer and Marissa and Seth, they were still down to earth. Well, some of them. There was always a bad apple or two, but no matter how much money you had or didn't have, if you drove too fast on an icy road, you could be killed, same as anyone else. Whether you lived in a trailer or on a farm or in a big house or in downtown Pittsburgh or in the Carnegie Mellon dormitories.

That was, Anna knew, what separated her from everyone else in Newport. She was practical. She had common sense. It was what tied her to Ryan, what attracted her to him. Sure, Seth was funny and smart and good looking -- but Ryan was _sensical_. That was absolutely not going to stop Anna from making out with Seth (and doing various other things with him), nor would it ever stop her from making out (and doing various other things) with Summer. But. It was there and there was nothing she could do about it, and if ever there came a time when she had a shot, she would take it. As long as Seth never found out. Maybe. Unless he wanted to join in.

Christmas Eve, Anna and her parents attended the Cohens' Christmas party, where Anna and Summer took turns pulling Seth into corners, and Anna felt a little thrill in her stomach every time she could taste Summer's chocolate taste in Seth's mouth. Then Christmas morning, which, at Anna's house, wasn't a big deal. She stayed out of her parents' way and they stayed out of hers and that's the way they all liked it. They exchanged gifts -- a bottle of Meerlust South African Merlot for her cosmopolitan New Yorker mother, special ordered months ago, and a candy basket built around Clark bars for her father, the geeky Pittsburgh native, also special ordered months before. They gave her a new Platinum credit card and the keys to her mother's old silver Jag. Not a bad haul.

After the "celebration", which included a "special" Christmas breakfast of sausages and French toast and fruit salad -- yes, very different from Anna's usual meal of a protein bar and an apple, but not exactly Christmasy -- Anna escaped to her room to plan her outfit.

And when she met up with Summer down the block from the Cohens, she realized that while her reasons for choosing to wear a mini skirt and tank top were practical rather than aesthetic like Summer's, the end result was the same: two hot girls with long legs and glossy lips wearing the skimpiest clothing they could get away with. Anna liked her body, mostly, even though it was really too skinny, but she _loved_ Summer's curves. That girl had cleavage that wouldn't quit, and Anna kind of wanted to just bury her face in it and bite. Hard.

At that moment, Anna did not miss the hats and scarves and turtlenecks of Pittsburgh, even though only a few hours before she had been wishing for snow.

Anna smoothed her palms over her skirt and took a deep breath. "Ready?" she asked Summer.

"Ready." Summer had a secretive smile on her face; Anna really hoped that meant Summer was looking forward to this as much as Anna.

"Ryan said that he didn't mind leaving for a while, and that he wouldn't come back until Seth came back to the house," said Anna. "So we should be all right, as long as we remember to lock the door."

"It's too bad Chino doesn't want to stick around." Summer's laugh was throaty, and went right to Anna's thighs. "That could be interesting."

"He would never. Not unless Marissa --"

"And she would never. Coop isn't in to taking chances. Not ones she's planned, anyway." Summer paused, then mimicked Anna's actions by running her own palms down her skirt and taking a deep breath. "Let's go."

Ryan was sprawled on his bed, reading one of Seth's comic books when they came in. He flicked his eyes up and down each of them in turn, huffed out a breath, and said, "Okay, then," and left.

"Don't forget -- ten minutes!" Summer called after him.

When he nodded and tapped his watch, Summer turned back to Anna. "Is this one of those couch beds? We could close it... We wouldn't want Seth getting ideas."

Anna nodded, relieved. She hadn't approached Summer about that part, about somehow avoiding the boy-penetration sex part, about awkward first times and pain and messes; she should have figured Summer would realize.

Anna'd had sex with girls before -- well, just one -- and while she didn't think Seth's penis could be bigger than Jackie Long's fist, she didn't want to find out otherwise the hard way.

They poked around, but the bed was apparently not also a couch, so instead they worked together to straighten the sheets. Anna was surprised that Summer would do something so domestic; had she ever made a bed before in her life?

Summer sat down tentatively on the corner of the bed. "How do you want to work this?" she asked. "We still have a few three minutes before Ryan sends Seth out here."

"Maybe if we got started?"

"The porn fantasy," said Summer, approval evident in her voice.

"Right. I figured that if we presented it as a _fait accompli_ , Seth wouldn't freak out too much."

"Our Seth does love the freaking out." Summer ran a fingernail over Anna's collarbone. "I wish you'd worn that pink shirt with the buttons. I like it."

"You actually like something I own? Wonders will never cease." Anna shivered under Summer's touch and leaned closer to her. Anna was wearing the most impractical heels she owned, in hopes that they would make her legs look longer and shapelier, and she'd even let Summer talk her into a wax. Not a Brazilian like Summer's though, because with Anna's body she'd look prepubescent without pubic hair. But a little cleaning up never hurt anyone, except for when the wax was being pulled. She wasn't quite sure what Summer found stimulating about it, but it freaking _hurt_.

And. And. Summer was leaning toward her, lips slightly parted, eyes drifting closed. Anna kind of wished Summer wasn't wearing so much lip gloss, but at least it wasn't red or some bright color. Anna's gloss was clear, and bubble gum flavored. After all, most of it ended up on her tongue anyway.

Anna ran her hand over Summer's throat, under the strap of her tank top and bra, down her shoulder so the straps snagged on her wrist. She could feel Summer's pulse, going double-time. Her own was as well, and they hadn't even kissed yet. One of Summer's hands was hot on Anna's knee, sliding up, under Anna's flouncy skirt.

And then their mouths were touching, just lightly, and Anna breathed out into Summer's mouth, and Summer breathed in, and Anna felt everything click right into place, like cracking knuckles, and she pressed harder into Summer's mouth, hand leaving the bed and moving to the back of Summer's head to bring her closer still, legs folding under Anna's body, leaning her over Summer, pushing her back into the bed, and --

"Oh. My. God."

Anna and Summer sprang apart. Seth stood in the open doorway, Ryan behind him.

"Well," said Ryan. "I'll just. Leave. Now." He pushed Seth none too gently into the pool house and closed the doors.

Anna decided to take a page from Ryan's book and just stare at Seth, and wait for him to say something. Summer had clearly decided to do the same thing, except she was smirking too.

Seth looked from Anna to Summer and back again. "Do you want to be alone? Because I'll leave if you want me to, although I will possibly be kicked out of the guy club if I do. But I'm not exactly in the club anyway, so it won't matter. And I would be kicked out of the guy club and it wouldn't matter, just because I got to see that, and I just cannot believe that I walked in on my girlfriends making out! You guys are supposed to be making out with me!"

"Can't all three of us make out at the same time?" asked Anna. Seth was awfully cute when he babbled. She didn't even mind that he'd walked in right as she was about to get some tongue from Summer. After all, she'd be getting some later, right? And more. Okay. Move. On. Stern.

"No! There is only making out with o -- what?" Seth was utterly dumbfounded. This was perfect. He was also wearing an absolutely heinously cut shirt. That Anna even noticed had to have been Summer's influence. On the other hand, the color really contrasted nicely with his skin tone...

"Listen, Cohen, we're doing this for your Christmas gift, so you'd better be a normal boy for once and enjoy it." Summer's hands went to her hips -- automatic intimidation factor right there, plus Seth was having a hard time focusing with all the cleavage. He swallowed hard and looked at Anna, who held out her hands, palms up.

"Don't you want to watch us together?"

"Just --" Seth's voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. "Just watch?"

Anna opened her mouth to explain to Seth about the no-sex rule, but Summer beat her to it. "That's right." Summer shot a challenging look at Anna, but Anna wasn't going to argue. "This is a show for you," continued Summer, "and you can look but you can't touch. And we can look at you, and maybe touch you, but you just sit right there and maybe you'll learn something."

Seth gaped. Anna did not gape, but it was a close call. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest and Ryan-glared at Seth. "Is that okay with you?" she asked.

Seth's eyes were wide and his mouth was kind of open and really all Anna wanted to do was go over there and bite his thin little top lip. But she held firm. The making out with Summer was more important than a transitory desire to nip Seth.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Seth nodded.

"Come sit up here," Summer instructed, pointing at the pillows and the head of the bed. "And..." She walked around to Ryan's shelves and pulled out a towel and tossed it at Seth. "This may look like porn, but it _isn't_."

Seth was gaping again. Anna kind of felt bad for him. For sixteen years he'd been a dork that nobody but Marissa ever talked to, and in the space of six month had changed into the man of the hour with not one but _two_ girls. It had to be a lot to take in.

"Now stay out of it," commanded Summer. Anna shivered. She'd never really gone for the butch, but Summer was very much a top while still being femme. That was kind of hot. "You." Summer turned to Anna and knelt on the bed. "Come back here."

Anna obeyed, crawling over to Summer. A move from a cheesy porn movie, but this whole situation was from a cheesy porn movie, and the point wasn't to be original, but to turn Seth on. Except there was no way Seth was going to pull his dick out and start jerking off, because he was going to be too nervous. One of them would have to do it, if he didn't come in his pants first.

Anna let the corner of her mouth curl up at Summer before she leaned into the kiss. This time there were no preliminaries. Summer let Anna push her tongue into Summer's mouth the same time Anna pushed Summer onto her back, and Summer conveniently spread her legs so Anna fell between them. Anna ground her hips into Summer's, one hand on either side of Summer's head, careful not to pinch at her hair.

Gloss issue notwithstanding, Summer had a fantastic mouth. It was easy to kiss, because it was so plump. Anna licked Summer's lips, and then licked Summer's tongue, and then licked into her mouth, pulled back up and bit at her top lip. Summer gasped and her hips moved a little into Anna's, and her hands grabbed at Anna's thighs, and moved up into Anna's skirt.

Rather than the stereotypical g-string, Anna had opted for the Wonder Woman bikini-style underwear. She'd bought it to eventually wear for Seth, although she'd not imagined at the time that Summer would be the one working it off her. She lifted her hips to help, but never moved her mouth off Summer's. There was definitely something to be said for making it with a girl who knew what she was doing when it came to undressing. Next, Summer's hands moved up to Anna's back and unsnapped her bra. Anna was definitely finding it hard to concentrate on Summer's mouth.

Summer pushed at her shoulders, so Anna lifted one hand to let Summer pull her bra off, but Summer broke their kiss. Anna stared down at her, panting, and Summer bucked at her and knocked her off balance, and rolled them over. "Like this," she said breathlessly. She knelt over Anna and pushed her shirt up and over her head, and the bra went with it, and then Summer's mouth was on one of Anna's nipples and the world went grey.

Summer leaned onto one arm, and used the other to flip Anna's skirt up, and insinuated that hand into the space between Anna's legs. Suddenly the world was darker, and sparks were shooting off behind Anna's eyes, so she squeezed them tight and moaned, and heard it in stereo, and remembered that Seth was in the room. Summer's hand was rubbing -- first up and around Anna's clit, then down to her slit for moisture, then further down (and Anna was glad she'd showered right before, because that was unexpected but felt so good), and back up, and then in, in, in, in, just one finger but it curved upwards and rubbed against that rough spot, harder and harder, and then Anna was trying to cry out but couldn't, because someone's mouth was over hers but it wasn't Summer's, because Summer's mouth was on her breasts.

Breathe in, breathe out. Shaky. Summer's fingers were still tucked inside Anna, the pointer finger of her other hand rubbing circles around first one nipple and then the other. Seth was nursing at Anna's mouth, his hand over her stomach, and when she opened his eyes, they met his. Her hands were tingling. Summer was smiling.

Anna tugged her mouth away from Seth's. "Weren't --" Her voice broke huskily. "Weren't you told not to touch?" She felt like maybe her tone didn't accomplish much, since she couldn't work up any anger or indignation, but Seth was blushing and he looked confused and not quite like the Seth Cohen she knew and adored. He didn't look like he could crack a superhero joke right now if his life depended on it. Summer, she still looked like the Summer Roberts Anna knew and adored; this was her element, throwing people off balance.

Anna pushed Seth away. "Why don't you go sit over there again."

Seth nodded. Lost for words? They must have made quite a picture of debauchery. Had Seth ever seen a naked woman in real life before, or only on the internet or television? He backed up to the pillows at the head of the bed, and Anna felt herself becoming even more aroused than she already was at the sight of his pants tenting up. She exchanged a look with Summer, and swallowed hard.

It was Summer, though, who took pity on Seth, and crawled over to him. Her skirt rode up -- unless she had somehow wriggled out of her underwear while one hand was inside Anna, she had gone commando.

That is _so_ hot, Anna thought. While we were talking and planning and sitting around, Summer was almost naked. Oh. _Hot_.

She pulled off the skirt that had been shoved up to her waist, and followed Summer across the bed.

"Now listen, Cohen," Summer was saying. "This is a special occasion, so I won't punish you for disobeying." Anna gulped. The mental image of Summer punishing Seth? That was hot too. "In fact, for being such a good boy, I will give you a reward."

Anna's eyes met Seth as the sound of a zipper being unzipped rent the air. His mouth was opening and closing and opening and closing, and his breath was harsh. Anna felt her throat open and her tongue press down in her mouth as Summer leaned over Seth. Anna couldn't see what was happening -- all she could see was Summer's ass in the air -- but she could figure it out from the slurping sounds and the look of absolute ecstasy on Seth's face.

"Come now," commanded Summer, then put her mouth back down and hummed a little, and Seth choked and did, and Anna watched his mouth open and his eyes squeeze shut and a bead of sweat roll down his cheek, and Summer was swallowing, and then she delicately ran the towel over her mouth. Seth's head fell back and his breath rasped harshly in his chest, and he still didn't say anything about superheroes or comic books or movies. Anna curled one side of her mouth up, and felt moisture slide out of her, onto her legs and the sheets, and Summer's lips were all glistening, and she crooked a finger at Anna and said, "C'mere," and Anna had to obey.

She leaned over Seth's splayed legs, tried not to look down at his cock, still almost completely erect, put one hand on his thigh and the other on his chest, and moved into Summer's kiss. Oh, it was hot. Hotter than when they were kissing and Seth and Ryan walked in. Anna tried to imagine what it would be like if Ryan changed his mind and walked in right now. Summer was still dressed -- except for her underwear, which was at the forefront of Anna's mind -- but Anna was totally naked, and Seth was _en dishabille_ and they looked. Well. Debauched. Anna could taste Seth in Summer's mouth, too-sweet bubble gum that came inside baseball cards, and too-salty pretzels you could get on Fifth Avenue near her Nana's apartment building, and a musk that, if she was smelling it, probably would have made her sneeze. And Summer was there, of course, with her dark, bitter, chocolate taste.

Anna pressed harder into the kiss and swirled her tongue around Summer's, and ran her hands over Summer's thighs. She was slim, but not muscular at all, and voluptuous, soft, and her thighs had a wonderful shape to them -- a shape that Anna coveted for her own thighs, and found undeniably attractive. She ignored Summer's hand on Seth's cock, and Seth's gasping and disjointed words, and focused on Summer. Anna's own legs were rubbery, and when she moved the right way, the blankets and her thighs pressed against her clit and sent delicious shivers through her stomach and back. Someone was going to have to wash these linens for Ryan; she smiled at the idea of Seth in an apron and high heels, washing laundry, but ordered her mind to go back to thinking about Summer.

Cunt was such a harsh word, and pussy was a silly one, and vagina was too technical, and slit was too pornographic. Anna had never found the right word, and couldn't now. Biologically, she knew what all the parts were, knew the names -- labia, clitoris, blah blah blah. And practically she knew that girl parts had their technical names and their slang names because that was the way society always worked. She had no problem thinking of Seth's penis as a cock, but it didn't have all the negative connotations that the words for vagina did.

So she just. Looked. She spread Summer's legs with a hand on each thigh, lifted Summer's hips onto Seth's legs, and looked. She didn't need to name anything to think about how beautiful the whole package was. Or she could name it all clinically and still be affected. She could take lab notes: _Labia swollen and flushed. Clitoris is also swollen. Opening is seeping fluid leading observer to believe subject is aroused._

Anna smiled again and ran one finger from each hand down each lip, then up inside, tracing the soft opening, spreading the moisture around. She had to admit, the Brazilian made it a lot easier to figure out what was going on down there.

"Stop teasing me," said Summer harshly. She lifted Anna's chin. "Let's go."

"Seth. Seth." Anna waited, repeated his name again. "Seth, look at me." Summer took the unspoken cue and arched her back, dropping her head and pushing her hips higher. Anna waited until Seth's eyes had met her own. They were dull, burning, hazy. One of Summer's hands was rubbing his balls and a muscle in his thigh was ticking under the leg Summer had thrown over his thighs. His hands were twisted in the bedclothes, fisted, and he looked rather silly to Anna, with his shirt rucked up, and Summer's lip gloss kisses on his stomach, and his pants pulled down. But there was something really attractive about having him at her mercy and _that_ was what was going on here. He would do anything they told him to do, and that was sexy as fuck.

Of course, he probably would have done anything they told him to do without them being naked for the telling, but that was a perk.

"Happy Christmas, Seth," said Anna, and then she bent her head to Summer, and licked one slow line, from behind Summer's asshole, over it, into it, up, into her slit, up, and then she fastened her lips around Summer's clit and sucked hard. Summer groaned and arched up even higher, and fisted both hands into Anna's hair, pulling her face in. Seth's legs started to shake.

Anna dove in, one finger pressing into Summer, sucking on Summer's labia, pushing her tongue in next to her finger, then another finger, then another. That was it. Slow and steady; she pulled her mouth away, fought against Summer's hands, wriggled one more finger in. Summer was so wet, Anna's chin was covered in moisture, and the bed was soaked. Anna curled her pinky and her forefinger in, careful of her nails, followed the curve of Summer's body, and pressed _up_ and Summer shrieked.

Seth pulled his legs away, up to his chest, and Anna looked over as Summer's body fell. "Pillows?" she asked, and Seth tossed some down to her, which she arranged as well as she could without moving her hand inside Summer. "Thanks."

"Anna, don't _stop_ ," gasped Summer when Anna just sat there. But Anna enjoyed this, the staring down at Summer's obscenely spread legs, her hips pushing up at Anna, skirt around her waist and. Hm.

"Seth, would you do something for me?" Seth nodded his head, and Anna jerked her head at Summer's face. "Would you please kiss her? A lot? And get her shirt off? And... have some fun? But take your pants off first."

" _Anna_!"

"Shh," Anna said to Summer. "My turn."

Anna watched as Seth shucked his pants but left his shirt on -- very obedient. Anna would have to look into doing something with that quality. She didn't have any experience being a dominatrix; she'd have to email Audrey for some tips. Maybe some book suggestions. It had its appeal. So did this quiet Seth, following orders and all. Anna did realize that he was just in shock, and that he'd go back to talking when he realized this was really happening. She hoped. Seth's babbling was undeniably attractive, not to mention funny (most of the time).

He started at the crease of Summer's thighs, and kissed his way up her body, moving her shirt out of the way, unfastening her bra while biting her stomach. Anna made little movements with her fingers, back and forth and back and forth, in time with Seth's kisses. Summer really did have the most amazing body. Seth kissed around her nipples, lifted her shirt over her head, and kissed her neck. Summer looked pleadingly at Anna.

"She won't break, Seth. You can bite her." Anna raised an eyebrow as Summer scratched her nails down one of Seth's thighs, and he sunk his teeth into her neck, right on her shoulder. She shivered. One day they would have to do this again so it could be Summer's fist inside Anna, and Seth sucking on Anna's neck. Oh yes.

Anna slid her fingers out; there was a squelching sound. Her entire hand was coated with eau de Summer, up to the wrist. She stretched out onto her stomach, folding her knees and letting her feet rest on her ass so that they didn't hang off the bed. She rubbed her wet fingers over Summer's ass and contemplated wriggling a finger through that tight ring of muscle, but decided against it -- then she'd have to wash her hands before she could proceed with her plans for Summer, and that would kill the mood. No. Forward as planned.

She folded her fingers up like she had before, tucked her thumb between them, braced herself on her other arm, taking Summer's leg onto her shoulder, and gently but firmly pressed into Summer's body.

Anna had never actually fisted someone before, but she'd been fisted, so she combined her memories with internet research, and was pretty much as prepared as she could be for this moment. She hadn't been sure Summer's body could take it, especially without lube, but Summer only tensed for a minute and moaned, and then relaxed, and Seth kept kissing her, one of his fingers rolling first one nipple and then the other, his mouth latched onto hers as though he was going to suck her soul out.

Anna made sure to keep her fingers pressed together tightly, made sure her hand curved up into Summer following the curve of Summer's body, and felt the opening of her uterus. For some women, she'd read, having the opening of their uterus fondled was extremely arousing; for others it was pain incarnate.

Summer's foot pressed into Anna's back and she broke away from Seth and hollered when Anna pushed up. "Bad or good?" asked Anna, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes.

"Ohgodgood," gasped Summer before Seth took her mouth again.

Fisting good. Check.

Anna began to tighten her fingers into an actual fist, and pushed that against Summer, and Summer's hips slammed down. Anna drew her fist down until she felt Summer's muscles squeezing her fingers, and then pushed it back up, slowly, slowly, slowly, dragging it out as long as she could. When she worked up a good rhythm -- not too fast, but not torturous either -- she bend her head back down. Summer's hips had caught the rhythm, and with one foot planted on the bed and the other leg wrapped around Anna's neck, she was moving counterpoint to Anna's fist easily. Anna wrapped her free hand around the leg Summer'd wrapped around her neck, grasping Summer's thigh, and bent her head down. Fist in, Summer pressed down, fist out, tongue Summer's clit, fist in, Summer pressed down...

Faster, faster, faster, and then Anna had to lift her head to gasp for breath, and Seth's hand was there, with those long, gorgeous fingers resting lightly on Summer's clit, and Anna licked them, and they tasted like Summer, the same bitter chocolate of her mouth, but sweeter and saltier and richer. Her arm was hurting and her shoulder was sore, and she felt like she was absolutely pummeling Summer, but wouldn't have taken her fist out for the world, because Summer was squeezing her fingers until Anna thought they might even bruise, and wondered if someone could break their hand doing this. Stress fracture, she'd tell the doctor.

Summer's body was tighter and tighter, and it was harder and harder to move, and her hips were thrusting faster and faster, and Anna knew she'd have a bruise where Summer's foot pressed into her back, and Seth's fingers were glistening wet, and Ryan's bed was not going to be a place he could sleep tonight, not considering how thoroughly Summer'd soaked it, and Anna's arm was wet to the elbow, and Summer's skin was sweaty and her hair was a mess and her makeup had sweated off, and she was the most beautiful thing Anna had ever seen, with her head thrown back and her mouth open and her neck covered with impressions of Seth's teeth, her thigh bruised where Anna's fingers had gripped her, and Anna knew that all it would take was the right pressure in the right place and she'd come again, and the world would darken, just like it was doing for Summer right. Now.

She kept thrusting into Summer, but Summer had stopped thrusting back, except for the involuntary jerking of her hips. Anna couldn't help smirking. Had anyone else ever seen Summer so abandoned?

"O -- okay. Ssstop..." Summer's breath was evening out, and Seth's mouth was barely over hers, just trading breath.

Anna pulled out, hand and arm aching, vowing to start lifting weights instead of just doing pushups. Her fingers were pruney, like she'd been in the bath a long time, and moisture had collected in the cup of her palm. Anna studied it speculatively -- nature's lube. What to use this for? It seemed wasteful to just wash it off. She looked over at Seth, who still hovered over Summer. His erection was an angry purple, and she was kind of surprised that he hadn't come again -- but on the other hand, she was pretty sure he didn't want to come all over his shirt, and she hadn't told him to take it off. A practical boy. She liked that about him.

She removed Summer's leg from her shoulder, and slid up the bed to Seth's lap, careful not to jostle the pillows under Summer, her head never even moving above Seth's waist. Her dry hand carefully unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, while her wet hand grasped his cock around the head and slowly pushed down.

"Not so tight," he gasped, letting himself fall back. Anna arranged herself so that she was sitting between his spread legs, her own legs layered over his, and pushed her crotch into the bed and her stomach down, and opened her mouth into an O and put it over the head of his cock while her hand stroked him. She felt Summer sit up, and then Summer's legs around Anna's hips, and Summer's breasts against Anna's back, and Summer's mouth on Anna's neck, and Seth had lifted himself up to watch, and was moaning, and Summer had two fingers down on Anna's clit and was moving them slowly, touching only so lightly, and if Anna could just concentrate, she'd come again, but she was focused on Seth.

She lifted her head and tilted her neck toward Summer's mouth and bit down on her bottom lip, her hand still jerking Seth's cock slow, not too tight, all the way down, then up over the head. She moved her other hand to his balls and cupped them and then rubbed them, and shifted her hips to make Summer press her fingers harder, and slid a sweat-soaked finger into Seth's ass, and he jerked and sat up and pushed his tongue into her mouth, and then she was coming, and he was coming, and Summer's teeth were in her neck and then Summer was leaning forward and pulling their mouths to her and they were entwined in a three-way kiss, and Anna had absolutely no idea how it happened, but she was definitely in love with Seth and Summer. There was no other word for how transcendent it felt to be sandwiched between them while her body jerked and her hips twitched.

They were all three going to need showers, though, especially since Seth had come all over his own stomach and Anna's too. The practical part of her brain took over, trying to plan how to get Summer into the shower with her so she could kneel down with the water beating onto her back and get her tongue back inside Summer and make Summer's knees weak.

Summer spoke first. "Don't either of you think this means you can kiss me in front of other people."

Anna rolled her eyes and Seth made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, and buried his head between Anna's neck and shoulder, on the side where Summer's head wasn't. Anna let herself relax forward onto Seth's chest, and felt Summer do the same.

"Not even Ryan?" Anna asked.

"Chino? No way."

"Not even if he was naked and leaning against a wall?"

Summer smiled against Anna's neck. "Maybe then."

"Should I be worried?" asked Seth, his voice muffled by Anna's skin.

"Coop wouldn't go for it." Summer slid her hand down Anna's thigh, and then back up. Despite herself, Anna shivered.

"How do you know? I totally never would have guessed that you guys would, like, attack me like this --"

"Besides," interrupted Anna, "would you really want to do this with Ryan?"

Seth made the laughing noise again. "If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll tell you a secret."

Anna's heart leapt into her throat. If Ryan and Seth had been fucking on the sly and Seth hadn't invited her to watch, or at least told her...

Summer lifted her head, and Anna relaxed her neck to put her mouth close to Summer's. "I know you're thinking what I'm thinking," Summer said. Then, to Seth, "We promise." But Anna could feel Summer's hand on her thigh, and Summer had her fingers crossed. Anna suppressed a giggle.

"I will admit that not even I, with my very manly superpowers of heterosexuality, have managed to resist the lure of the wifebeater and jeans." Seth grinned at them, almost shyly. Anna liked the look of vulnerability on him, especially combined with absolutely nothing else.

Summer sniffed. "He does have a way of making _pret a porte_ look wearable."

"Even respectable?" Anna poked her in the side. "Okay, we need to stand up now. The muscles in my legs are rebelling."

"Let me know when they get their own Death Star." Anna giggled but Summer just looked confused. Naked and confused. In the middle of Ryan's bed.

Anna groaned at the fluttering in her thighs. She couldn't do another go-round, much as she'd liked to, and she'd bet Summer was pretty fucking sore as well. She looked away, and snatched the towel to swipe at her stomach.

"What's the Death Star?" Summer finally asked, lifting her hips to slip on her skirt.

"What's the Death Star? What's the Death Star?" Seth's voice increased in volume. "What do you mean, what's the Death Star?"

"Don't go postal, Cohen. It was just a question." Bra untwisted, shirt on, Summer stood up and put her hands on her hips. "If you're going to talk in code, don't get mad when I can't understand it."

"How can you not know the Death Star?" Seth faced her off with his shirt on but unbuttoned, pants in hand.

"You know that I don't read your stupid comic books."

Anna shook her head. Seth really needed to put his pants on _before_ he tried for the morally superior voice. She'd remind him next time. Because there would definitely be a next time. Maybe even in one of their own beds. That would be a plus.

While Seth argued the merits of _Star Wars_ with Summer -- who, Anna knew for a fact, knew exactly what the Death Star was and was just yanking Seth's chain -- Anna stripped the linens off the bed and surveyed the damage. A big wet spot. The mattress would have to be turned. She did it herself, not wanting to interrupt what was turning into a zinger of a Seth/Summer argument -- especially since Seth's pants were still not on, and Anna now had irrefutable proof that arguing with Summer turned him on.

She snickered, gathered up the dirty linens, and turned. "Where do these go?"

Seth barely spared her a glance. "Just leave them outside the door with Ryan's other laundry. He doesn't like Lupe to come inside." Then back to Summer. It warmed Anna's heart in a really perverse way to know that they clicked the same way she and Summer clicked, the same way she and Seth clicked. Like cracking knuckles.

Anna slipped her feet into her heels and tottered to the door. Before she opened it, she rubbed her hand against her mouth. Swollen and sore, it felt great; she was already missing the pressure of Seth's cock and Summer's mouth. Forget showering with Summer -- she just wanted to go home and fall asleep.

She slipped out of the pool house and closed the door behind her. Seth and Summer were kissing. Maybe Summer would relieve Seth of his virginity, and then Anna could have him for a night. She put the sheets into the wicker basket sitting next to the door, and then caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and jumped, nearly turning her ankle.

"Ryan!"

Ryan squinted up at her, comic book in one hand, cigarette dangling from the other. He blew smoke out his nose -- and somehow, Anna noticed absurdly, managed not to look like a tool. She put fists onto her hips and spread her legs, feeling very powerful. Not even Ryan Atwood's Glare of Doom, as Seth called it, could bring her down from this.

"So," Ryan finally said. "I thought it would take longer."

"Well, Summer's still in there with Seth." Anna shifted her weight and pushed her hips out a little further. Take that, Glare of Doom! "How long have you been sitting out here? The whole time?"

"Naked and leaning against a wall?" Ryan asked, instead of answering the question.

Do not blush. Do. Not. Blush. Shrug instead. "You lean well." Anna lifted a shoulder and let it drop -- nonchalantly, she hoped.

"Manly superpowers of heterosexuality?" Ryan took another drag, and then stubbed the cigarette out on the ground. There were more than a few butts there, Anna noticed. Like, almost a pack worth. He had to have been chain-smoking the entire time they were in the pool house. Oh.

She cooled her voice down. "I never took you for a homophobe." It was Ryan's turn to shrug. He didn't say anything. "I hope this doesn't change your relationship with Seth." He just stared up at her. Cower under the Glare of Doom! She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to have a conversation with you if you aren't going to converse." She turned to walk away.

"Hey. Anna."

Okay, she was turning back. Her ankles wobbled a little when she saw him light his next cigarette. Maybe it wasn't practical, but she did have a weakness for silver Zippos, and boys who could flick their wrists and close them. It was... sexy.

"Next time, give me more than a week's advance warning, okay?"

That was interesting. Anna pursed her lips. Don't touch the pretty, warned her brain. "What about Marissa?"

"I'll handle Marissa."

Anna nodded. "Fair enough." She turned and walked away while she still could. Manly superpowers of heterosexuality, indeed.

  



End file.
